Wisc. election officials: Fake Democrats can remain on primary ballot

Election officials in Wisconsin on Tuesday refused to disqualify fake Democratic candidates running in recall primary elections this spring, according to the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel.

Attorney Jeremy Levinson had argued that the candidates violated Wisconsin law, because they lied about representing the Democratic Party. The fake Democratic candidates are running in the primary elections to help the Republican Party, and have publicly admitted that is their intention.

But the Government Accountability Board voted 6 to 0 to allow the fake Democrats to run in the upcoming primary elections, claiming that to question whether they truly represented a given political party would violate their First Amendment rights.

“The law also does not permit the board to inquire into the motivations for an individual’s candidacy for office, an exercise which would inevitably lead to the board, as a government agency, making subjective judgments regarding the legitimacy of political candidacies,” the board said in a memo.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin said the fake candidates set an “ethical low” for the state.

“Today is yet one more ethical low for Scott Walker, with the certification of candidates whose only purpose is to give him advantage in elections called for under the rules of the Wisconsin Constitution,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike said in a statement.

“Scott Walker has no regard for ethics, just as it is becoming clearer that he has no regard for the law. Today represents another stain on Wisconsin’s history and traditions of fair play. Wisconsin is a ship without a moral rudder. And that is why Scott Walker, on June 5th, with his recall by the people of Wisconsin, will introduce another first to our state.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R) and four Wisconsin Republican state senators all face recall elections on May 8 or June 5.

But by running the fake candidates, the Republican Party forces primary elections to be held on May 8, ensuring that all of the incumbents will face an election at a later date, June 5.

About the Author

Eric W. Dolan has served as an editor for Raw Story since August 2010,
and is based out of Sacramento, California. He grew up in the suburbs
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